After President Donald Trump remarked that US attacks on Iran may end "very soon," experts in Israel say that their government's own military campaign will likely follow Washington's lead. But as RFE/RL's Ray Furlong reports from Tel Aviv, Israel is pursuing its own security priorities with strikes on Hezbollah sites in Lebanon, while also risking US criticism over its choice of targets.
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Iran Deploys 'Blue Shields' Amid US-Israeli Strikes
- By Amos Chapple
A series of blue-and-white shields unfurled atop buildings throughout Iran are intended as a message to American and Israeli targeteers.
Photos of the symbol placed on rooftops and alongside heritage sites were circulated by Iranian state media on March 10 along with reports that "more than 120 museums and several historic buildings" throughout Iran have been marked with the emblem.
Officially known as the Blue Shield, Iran's cultural heritage chief Mohsen Tousi told Iranian media the symbol had been deployed "to safeguard valuable cultural and historical assets."
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Trump Warns Iran Against Mining The Strait Of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump warned Iran against mining the Strait of Hormuz, saying in a post on Truth Social on March 10 that any such move would trigger severe retaliation.
“If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait… we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote, warning that otherwise the “Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before.” He added that US forces would “permanently eliminate any boat or ship attempting to mine the Hormuz Strait.”
In a subsequent post on the same platform, Trump said US forces had already acted, writing that “we have hit, and completely destroyed, 10 inactive mine laying boats and/or ships, with more to follow.”
White House Says Oil Price Spike 'Temporary' Amid Iran Conflict
The White House says that once the objectives of the joint US–Israeli war against Iran are fully achieved, Americans will see a rapid drop in oil and gas prices.
"Rest assured to the American people, the recent increase in oil and gas prices is temporary and this operation will result in lower gas prices in the long-term," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters on March 10.
Global oil prices briefly surged to more than $119 per barrel on March 9, the highest level since June 2022. Reduced oil supply from Saudi Arabia and other producers has heightened concerns about major disruptions in global markets.
Leavitt added that Trump and his energy team are closely monitoring markets and are in contact with industry executives, and that the US military is preparing additional options, in line with the president’s directive, to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
Random Numbers, Persian Code: A Mysterious Signal Transfixes Radio Sleuths -- And Intelligence Experts
- By Mike Eckel
The radio signal first started broadcasting on February 28, about 12 hours after the United States and Israel began bombing Iran.
On a scratchy shortwave signal almost twice a day -- in the early morning and early evening on Coordinated Universal Time -- a man’s voice can be heard speaking Persian, counting out a series of apparently random numbers. The numbers are read out for varying stretches of time, followed by a pause in which the word tavajjoh -- which translates as “attention” -- is spoken three times.
The mystery of the transmission transfixed many in the global community of amateur radio sleuths, who have traded notes and tips on the signal, who’s behind it, and what its purpose might be.
Read more here.
Pentagon Says About 140 US Troops Wounded in Iran War
About 140 US service members have been wounded in the first 10 days of the war with Iran, the Pentagon said on March 10, after sustained retaliatory attacks by Tehran on US bases in the region following the start of the conflict on February 28.
“Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 140 U.S. service members have been wounded over 10 days of sustained attacks,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said.
He added that “the vast majority of these injuries have been minor.” He said that 108 troops had already returned to duty and eight seriously wounded service members were receiving the highest level of medical care.
Earlier, citing two people familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that as many as 150 US troops had been wounded in the conflict so far.
The American military had previously said that seven US service members had been killed in action since the outbreak of hostilities.
Images posted on social media appear to show locations in the city of Tabriz being hit on March 10.
RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports that eyewitness accounts say that buildings belonging to Iranian intelligence, the police, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps were among those targeted.
More Iranian Female Soccer Players Seek Asylum As Team Plane Leaves Australia
Two more members of Iran's national women's soccer team have reportedly asked for asylum in Australia and failed to board a departing flight to Kuala Lumpur. Earlier, five team members were granted humanitarian visas in Australia over fears for their safety if they returned to Iran.
If Russia Wants To Stay On Washington's Good Side, Why Help Iran Target US Forces?
Two days after the United States and Israel launched their massive air campaign on Iran, the US Embassy in Riyadh -- 400 kilometers inland from the Persian Gulf -- was hit by two Iranian drones. The attack caused no injuries and “limited fire and minor material damage to the building,” according to the Saudi Defense Ministry and the embassy itself.
What was more significant was the apparent target: the CIA station for Saudi Arabia.
Since the start of the war on February 28, Iran has retaliated with an expanding number of targets, hitting US military installations -- in Kuwait and in Bahrain -- with drones and missiles, as well as high-profile, high-visibility facilities in other countries -- Dubai’s skyscrapers and airport; desalinization plants in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
But those targets take little military intelligence to strike.
To read the full report by Mike Eckel, click here.
US Used $5.6 Billion In Munitions In First 2 Days Of Iran Strikes, Says Source
The administration of US President Donald Trump told congressional committees it used about $5.6 billion in munitions during the first two days of strikes against Iran, a source familiar with the report told Reuters.
Lawmakers, who may soon have to approve additional funding for the conflict launched on February 28 alongside Israel, have raised concerns about the impact on US military stockpiles, which were already under strain due to high demand.
Trump met executives from seven defense contractors as the Pentagon works to replenish supplies.
The administration has not publicly disclosed the total cost of the war.
Officials are expected to seek additional funding from Congress, possibly around $50 billion. although some officials have said this estimate seems low.